What if?
by Mabi D
Summary: Let's go back to 1989. It's Monica's and Rachel's prom day. The few hours before Rachel arrives at Monica's and Ross's house are told, focusing on our favorite Paleontolist student of all time. The feelings, the thoughts that passed throught his mind during that day, and a decision taken at the end that could change his life forever. Made by me and my friend Isa.


_**Disclaimer**_

_We do not own Friends. We're just so nutts about the show that we're borrowing them from the creators and doing wathever we want._

_**Warmings**_

_You, fan of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. that is about to read this fanfic, let us tell you: the writers are not native speakers of English! So please, do constructive critics, don't stone us or something like that!_

_Our Beta Reader was a Brazilian friend. She's the biggest fan of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. that we've known, and we chose her in order to see if the characters are in character._

_Oh, this is an exam for the English discipline of our course, which is Letters, at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Enjoy!_

_**P.S.: **__We've never studied dinossaurs. Everything about dinossaurs was taken from our imagination, except for their names (these were taken in Wikipedia)._

_**What if…?**_

It was Saturday morning, but that Saturday woudn't be like the others. It was prom day. Ross, still lied on his bed, turning to the left to see the time on your clock which was on the nightstand and how the weather was.

The weather was sunny: the star king had already been born, the birds were singing out loud and the sky was as blue as the eyes of a certain blond girl that didn't want to left the paleontology student's head.

- Man… Why love couldn't be as easy as decorate all the bones of an Amargasaurus? - thought to yourself. Even he was the best pupil of your Science, Biology, Chemstry and Phisics classes at High School, and one of the most intelligent students at the University, he still hadn't understood the most difficult science, in his opinion: the love science.

He could not assimilate why such chemical fenomena happened to your body since the day he met Rachel Green. The acceleration of his heart beats just by being in the same room she was in, the cold sweat when talking to her - or rather, when the stuttering left him talk - accompanied by shortness of breath he gained following the movements of her arms, the sway of her hips when walking, the way it played back her hair and the smile that never left her face.

That was definetly one of those mysteries that Ross would like to be capable to solve. But the college student didn't have much hope. "If Blaise Pascal and Albert Einstein couldn't do it, who am I to succeed?", he inquired.

It was thinking in what would be his answer if someone asked to him if he would change all his scientific knowledge in order to assimilate this sicence so difficult, that he went to the bath in order to try to make the less worse the desaster that lover boy's hair was.

The thing covered the top of his head was something he called "Mexican Black Power", because of his curly and voluminous characterists that instead of growing down towards the feet-head, it grows up towards head-roof, just like a black power, but without the grandeour of an original one. To match your hair, Ross had left the mustache grow, trying in vain to older and "more manly" look, which just made him even more like a Mexican.

While he was washing his face, Ross listened echoing in the whole house what it sounded like a earthquake going downstairs.

"Monica woke up early today", thought him. "She was waiting this day to come since her first day of High School. For me, it's just another saturday. Another day studying dinossaurs and another night with me and my keyboard", supposed depressingly.

Still wearing pijamas, Ross went downstairs and found his whole family in the kitchen. His mom was making pancakes, while his dad read the newspapaer sitted on the table already prepared with butter, orange juice, toasts and jelly. Monica was devouring the sixth pancake.

-Morning. - Said the future paleontologist in the middle of a sighed.

-Fello, frother! - said Monica with her mouth full of food. She was so nervous about the prom and everything that she was eating much more than usual those last few days.

- Easy, darling, don't eat too much! You're not going to fit in your dress! - advertised her mom.

- But I thought she hasn't fitted yet… - replied daddy.

- Guys, please! I need to eat in order to calm down. Ross, could you be by my side?

- Hum… Well… You know… According to Dr. Meulenbrock, the lipids on human's diet beneficies the person by decreasing the chances of being captured by a Indricotherium at the Stone Age…

- Oh, forget it. I don't understand a thing of what you're saying, but thanks for standing up for me.

- Yeah, if with "standing up for me" you mean have more chances of survival in face of a _In-dick-the-rim_ because of this pizza dough covering your body - added your mom.

-... Mom… - started Ross.

- Judy! Watch your mouth! - advertised the dad.

- What? She must know that she's overwheight…

- No! It's about the name! It's not _In-dick-the-rim_, it's _In-dick-the-prim_! - corrected dad.

-... Guys…

- No, Jack, it's not Prim. It can't be Prim.

- Why not? "Prim" makes more sence than "rim": if there's something that could kill our Harmonica is a person, not a simple rim!

- Oh, God, did I tortured you when you were alive? - Ross asked looking at the sky.

- Wait: is there someone called Prim who has a dick and wants to kill me?

- See! Look what you've done, Judy!

- Look what **you** have done, Jack!

- Ugh, you guys never understand me. I am gonna go. I have a lot of things to do. And most important, I still have to call Rachel and decide what time excaclty we're going to meet tonight.

- Oh, c'mon, litlle Harmonica… Why don't you invite Rachel to come here tonight? So you two can get ready for prom together! - said Judy when Monica letf e went right to her bedroom to call her best friend.

Just hearing Rachel's name made Ross's heart beat a little faster. The only thing that could make that prom night a night to remember would be if he could be Rachel's date that night. But he knew that was impossible. He was just Monica's geek big brother for Rachel and nothing more. Also, Rachel already had a date and he was no one else but the most popular guy at school. He knew he couldn't stand a chance against that guy.

Rachel was going to be at his house in a couple of hours. Ross could feel the butterflies in his stomach already. Even though he was dying to see her, he also couldn't help it but to feel nervous about it. Like he didn't feel weirdo enough, being around Rachel used to make things much more complicated to him. He never knew what the right words to use with her, so in attempt to say anything that could make any sense, he usually had strange noises coming out of his mouth.

It was almost 03 p.m. Ross was in the living room, sitted in the armchair, choosing what kind of magazine he would choose to look a cool guy. Rachel could arrive any time for now.

"Ding dong" The only person who could be standing at his front door at that time in the evening was Rachel. At that time, Ross didn't know what of the two magazines he should hold ant pretend reading: the one of dinossaurs or the Playboy with Karen Foster on the cover.

Following his instinct, Ross chose the Playboy. "Now I'll look like those cool guys of High School", he thought. As soon as he saw the girls passing through him and his sister throw him an amazement look for the magazine holded for him, Ross walked right to his bedroom, totally emberassed. Rachel didn't looked at him not even once.

From his room he could hear Rachel's voice and the two histerical girls telling eachother what dress they've bought and also talking about their prom dates. All that the college boy wanted was punish himself with numerous insults for being so stupid.

A few hours later, he heard his father tooking the camera and noticed that he started filming the two girls donwstairs.

- Oh, Monica, look at you! You're gorgeous! - exclaimed his dad. Ross decided to go to the room, in order to spy how the girls were looking. Undeed: besides the fact that Monica was involved by a red dress, his sister was gorgeous: full of make-up, her cheeks were pink, which only emphasized her round face even more. With a neutral lipstick and wavy and voluminous cabelosos, Monica definitely had a pretty face, and would became very popular if it wasn't for the extra pounds.

- Oh my Goodness, Rachel, you'll definitely be the Prom Queen! - said my mother enthusiastically. And Ross confirmed what his mom said: with a blue dress valuing her silhouette, Rachel looked like a princess: her smooth blond hair hung to his shoulders with cute bangs were perfect, without a hair out of place. She seemed to whirl her dress lit the room and smile at the camera that was recording.

- Come here, son, show yourself to the camera! - and when his father said that, he turned the camera instantly to Ross's direction. He was literally drooling by rachel, and got a fright when a black thing came towards him.

- Hum… Hi guys… Hope you're enjoying your prom night… Hehe. - Ross spoke with a yellow smile.

- No, son, go to the girls and talk to them! Say how nice they are! - incentivated his father.

- Stop dad…

- Go Ross, don't be a pussy…

- Dad, no… Please!

- I thought you were a man, Ross...

That was enough to Ross, and he ran until his bedroom while the girls were laughing about the situation. He knew he was a pussy, an idiot. He didn't need his father talking that out loud.

He stayied in his room, until his dad knock the door.

- Hey, buddy, listen, you have just earned your biggest…

-... No dad, don't. Just leave me alone.

- But Rachel's prom date haven't came yet! Perhaps you might take her to the prom, as her date!

- Are you sure…?

- Ross, I wouldn't lie to you in a situation like this: it's your biggest chance to declare your love, son. Do you think that I would play with your feelings? I will take my tuxedo, ok? Fix this thing that you call "hair", ok?

- Ok… Thanks dad!

Ross never was that excited: he was shaking, badly could take his clothes off. While thinking of a way to ask Rachel if she would like to go to prom with him, Ross wore his father's tuxedo without realizing if he put the legs, arms or placed upside down the clothes. The college boy just wondered if the one he loved would say "yes."

When he went downstairs and picked some flowers that were in a vase, it was too late: he had not seen neither Monica nor Rachel: only the front door of the house closing and laughter of men and women outside.

- Oh no, my son… - lamented his mother - turn off this camera, Jack!

- Where? I can't see…

- Turn it off, now! - said her pulling the camera to herself and turning it off. But that wasn't important anymore. It didn't matter if it was recorded or not: Ross's heart was broken, and it couldn't be deleted the broken strings inside of him just like a recorded video.

A few minutes after they had left to the prom, Ross was still in front of the front door, holding the flower. Your parents had left to have dinner somewhere. Someone was knocking on the door: Ross thought it was strange since Monica and Rachel had just left and he wasn't expecting anyone.

- Oh, Ross, that's so sweet! But you know that I prefer geraniums. - said Chandler with a big smile on his face.

Chandler was Ross's best friend since their first day at College. With his long, brown hair tied in a low ponytail that went halfway down his backs, accompanied by fringe that covered a little lick his left eye, Chandler tried to look like a rockstar without much success. He wore that night a silver and black suit with patterned both in suit and in the pants rays.

- Hiiii... - answered Ross, with the most depressing voice that it was possible.

- Could you BE any more depressed? My father left me home alone, so I decided to show up. Cmom, it's saturday night! We should be partying up. And by partying up I mean let's sit on that couch and play video games!

- Yeah, whatever...

- Ok, alright. This is not the Oprah show, but I am your best friend, you know you can open up with me. What's wrong?"

- Nothing, really… It's just that today is Monica and Rachel's prom, and…

- Oh, alright. Rachel… Now I get why you're in a such depressing mood.

- I wish I could have just one dance with her tonight, y'know?

Ross was desesperated, that was sure. He was certain that he would never see Rachel again, she would get married with the hot-full of muscles-brainless quarterback of the Football team of High School, have children and be happy with the supposed brainless guy. Ross could even see Rachel holding a little girl, and a perfect guy holding a little boy smiling, waving at Ross passing for them, alone, still with his Mexican Black Power...

- You know, Ross, I might just had a brillant idea. I am sure nobody would ever had such a great ideia but what about you go to the prom, tell Rachel how you feel and then have that special dance with her?

- Ha-ha, very funny. I don't always apreciatte your sarcasm, Chandler, especially not in moments like this

- Alright, sorry. But I was serious about going after her, man.

Ross was starting to struggle with the possibility of going to the prom. He knew that if he did that he was taking the risk of ending up with his heart broken but still. "I can stay home and lose what could be the only opotunity I have to tell Rachel how I really feel or I can go to this damn prom and put myself out there telling her everything. Even if she doesn't fell the same way, at least she will know how I feel" thought Ross after a few sighs

- You know what? I think you're right, Chandler! I have to take the risk. I mean, think about it: what if the first Paleontologist ever had given up on his studies and decided to not tell anyone about any of it ? What would I had done with my life?

- Ok, I've stopped hearing what you were saying when I heard the word Paleontologist, but I sure do agree with everything you said before that. Lets go!

- Yeah! Here I go, declare all of my love to the woman of my life.

- Ok, easy there, dinossaur. You don't want to scare Rachel away with such strong words, right? Also, don't forget that I am the one who is hopeless and awkward and desesperate for love. You are only hopeless and awkward.

- Seriously man, thank you! I don't think I would do this if it wasn't for you.

- Always a pleasure. What can I do if I am a specialist when it comes to heart issues? And no, I am sure you would, Ross. All you needed was a little push.


End file.
